Winter of Lions
by Ser Heber
Summary: The end of the Reyne-Tarbeck Rebellion was marked as the ascendance of Tywin Lannister. Yet what if one last Reyne survived the bloody hand of Tywin to influence the history of Westeros for the better or for the worse, changing the course and the history of Seven Kingdoms with one act at a time.
1. Chapter 1

Winter of Lions

 **I – Arthur**

 _Rain._ Lord Arthur Reyne thought as he watched the flames flickered in front of his eyes. The sound of thunder could be heard from far away, along the smell of the thick clouds. _It will be good for the crops._ Arthur thought as he fed the flame with another log. The pyre shined brighter, with fire sparks flying up with the thin smoke.

The heat of the burning wood warmed Arthur at that chilly morning. He felt peaceful at last, too peaceful for his own liking. Yet he could not be wrong with this feelings, things have never been better for him since he become the Lord of both the Castamere and Taberck Hall. The summer had been good, the fields were filled with tall golden wheat and barley. And the scars of war that the Lannister brothers had left behind were slowly disappearing with each passing season.

Arthur saw how the peasant began another day harvesting their crops or tending their cattle. He could hear the routine morning of his own keep, from the hammer hits of the local smiths to the early sermon of the septon. It seem almost like that there had never been a war just four years ago. _A war which left Castamere scorched and drowned._ Arthur reflected.

Not far away up on the mountains, Arthur could see from his room at the large drum tower how the final marble stones were still been brought up upon his new castle, high up the western mountains. He watched calmly from his room as groups of men, guided by stone mason, slowly pulled up stone by stone, from platform to platform. It was an impressive sight of how slowly his new castle turned beautiful, something which Arthur ever love to gaze on those days. It took out his mind of his bitter memories of the horror that he and his fellow knight found at Castamere upon the end of his dead father's rebellion. Arthur remember how he wept until his eyes were dry, as he unburied and reburied the dead, only thanking the Gods that his brothers were not there to see that horrible scene, especially when he found his father and mother.

Those days were horrible yet there was hope in the end. King Jaehaerys made sure that the Reynes still outside Castamere would survive. The King wrote a boom of safety that even Tywin Lannister could not ignore. Even the lands of both Castamere and Tarbeck Hall were secure by the decree. Arthur two daughters running with other children just inside the new curtain walls were the testimony to that decree.

Arthur did some thought of his brothers, both of them so far away, both of them living their own lives. The last time he tried to contact both of them, he did not receive any answer yet he knew they lived. Even thought it sadden him to know that they did never visited him once, even to say their final goodbye to their parents.

As he thought, Arthur notice as a fat man entered his room. He walked in carrying various scrolls and books along his large bag, in which Arthur knew that was filled with goose feathers, squid ink and wax candles. He walked passed Arthur and went directly to the table besides him.

"Good morning Maester Gunther, how are you feeling today?" Arthur asked with a smirk in his face as he lean against the side of the window. The maester looked at him calmly and raised an eyebrow.

"Much better my Lord Arthur, it took some time for me to recover yet the sweet reds did help." The maester answered, as he organize firmly the various scrolls and letters over the table.

"You know, one should never trust old imported sausages. Especially one brought from Essos, don't you think Gunther?" Arthur asked with a mischievous tone, as he went over the table and started to read the new letters.

"Nonsense, it was the cook's dirty hands that made my bows turn loose!" The maester answered confidently. Both looked at each other and gave a small laughs.

"So what news does the tiding brings?" Arthur asked, as he continue to read letter after letter.

"Not many, yet few important ones." The maester said in a noticeable alarm in his voice. The maester stretch out his hand and gave the open scroll at Arthur's hand.

Arthur took the letter and quietly read it.

"Is this some kind of bloody joke?" Arthur said with bitterness in his voice.

"No my Lord. It arrived from Casterly Rock just this morning." The maester answered quietly.

Arthur looked at the sudden invitation from Lord Tytos Lannister. He was inviting them to be present at the Feast of Lannisport that would happen in the next moon's turn. Arthur knew very well that all the lords of the Westerlands would be present and so would Tyto's miserable children.

Arthur did not have anything personal against Lord Tyto's, but dreaded the man anyway for letting his son kill his parents and close kins.

Yet this time Arthur could not make his excuse as he would the years before. Rebuilding his feud had been a good excuse for the last few years, yet now he knew that the Lannister's spies would know of his good progress. Arthur dread the excuse for another feud to start between both houses over a pitiful insult to the Lord Paramount, even though he was weaker than rag doll.

"Maester Gunther how are we progressing on our projects?" Arthur asked coldly.

The maester stop for a few minutes and took out another scroll out of his bag.

"The New Castamere my lord is almost done. The masons are now fitting in the marble stones into the new great hall and the garden, by two moon's turn you will be ready to move in."

"And Tarbeck Hall?" Arthur asked.

"We clear most of the sight and the head mason is already raising the inner halls and towers. The main wall has already been repair along with the gate and the keep." The maester answered.

"And the.." Arthur began to say.

"The gold mines are functioning with good progress. The gold is been stored by our trusted servants. We are still in progress of reopening the silver mines yet by the end of the year it will be open as you have planned my lord."

The maester answered not waiting for Arthur's question.

Arthur seem amaze for an instant, thanking the Gods that the Citadel send him someone with brains, than he took a long breath.

"Send a letter to Casterly Rock confirming my presence for the feast. Remind them to prepare a room for me and thirty of my knights along their squires." Arthur said as he held the very message and burned over the lit candle.

"My lord" Gunther said with a stronger voice. "May I remind you that when you are at the feast for you not to forget your manners and your pending duty."

Arthur stood for a few seconds looking at the maester's face trying to figure out what he meant by the second command. "What duty Gunther?"

"You know my lord." Maester Gunther said looking at Arthur with an eyebrow raised. Arthur took a few seconds and he understood.

 _Marriage._ Arthur thought.

It was true that it was past time he found a suitable wife, he was three and twenty already and he need an heir better than his lost brothers.

"I will Maester Gunther, I shall do my duty."


	2. Chapter 2

**II – Arthur**

"Cursed piece of junk." Arthur exclaimed, as he stood there mounted over his large red stallion, as rain poured over his head.

The journey, which was supposed to be just a day's ride from Castamere to Casterly Rock, turned into a long slow march. Arthur was not wrong about the upcoming rain, yet he never imagine that it would be this bad. The west wind had brought the prayers of the peasants, yet the misery of the travelers. The road basically turned into mud from day to night. The road looked like pools of mud puddles so thick that sometimes Arthur consider if it was worth the journey.

 _Remember Arthur, for duty and peace._ Arthur reflected as he stood there watching the stuck wheelhouse. Today he was thinking if it was a good idea bringing the wheelhouse along. Tytos gift could sit and rot for all Arthur cared yet it was for his two daughter that he was worried for. Both were sleep inside the wheelhouse, safe and dry, unlike him.

 _May be I should leave this piece of junk behind and let the girls ride their ponies._ Arthur quietly though, as he watched as several of his guards and squires try push the giant wooden cart out of its place.

 _But maybe not._ Arthur thought as the rain poured even harder at that moment.

Beside the hellish rain, riding through the coastal road had been safe Arthur reflected.

 _It seem that Ser Kevan Lannister is doing his job at least._ Arthur thought as he remembered the dangerous days in which robber knights and bandits roam the roads freely in the Westerlands. A group of wet armored skeletons hanging from the tree by was prove of that.

As Arthur reflected on, his guards gave a cheer when the wheelhouse come out of the muddy hole. The driver whip the horses forward and wheelhouse moved slowly forward. The guards and squires scrambled for their horses, as the Arthur turned forward with his knights to follow the road.

If wasn't for the rain Arthur host would look marvelous. Besides the great wheelhouse Arthur wanted to impress as many lords as he could when he arrived at Casterly Rock. Every knight that accompany him was given a fine new tunic of red and were demanded to were their best armor. Squire, like the household guards, were given giant banners to carry with them all the time, along a good bath and a new set of cloths. Yet the best was inside the wheelhouse, where Arthur bet that even the boneless Tytos and his son would be impressed.

Arthur kept flirting with his thought when a voice called him from the wheelhouse:

"Father? Are we there yet?" The shy silver hair girl said out loud, with her head coming out thought the wheelhouse's window. Arthur slow down his stallion and went besides the wheelhouse.

The little girl blushed before Arthur presence, yet he could only smile.

"Not yet Daena, we are still not there my sweet girl. Just wait we are almost there." He answered calmly, as drops of rain fell over his face.

Inside the wheelhouse Arthur could see that Valeana, the younger, was still asleep at the lap of their septa teacher. The septa was motionless when she notice Arthur presence, yet he simply waved her to be in peace as he watch Daena restless curiosity that the girl had over the gift which he would give to Lord Tytos. Arthur could see that both had taken the pale beauty of their Lysenes mother with pale skin and silver hair, yet they had his reddish brown eyes. As he saw them, he felt a bit of sadness in his heart.

 _She should be here with me._ Arthur quietly lingered sadly in his mind, as he kept a smile over his face before Daena quick eyes. He then gave a good kick in his stallion and the horse went forward to the front of the caravan.

By the end of the afternoon Arthur had reached the gates of the Rock. The immense Lannister fortress was impressive as he always remembered since is last visit. It shadow the city of Lannisport and Arthur could deny it that his father was fool by his rebellion.

As Arthur rode inside the might fortress gates into the massive cavern entrance, he already could recognize several individuals among the hundreds of wet banners, where both lords and knights tried to dried themselves.

Ser Gawen Westerling of the Crag, Lord Fareman of Faircastle along his son Ser Sebastian, Lord Terrence Kenning of Kayce and so many more in which Arthur could tell by name. All brave man once yet now all of them worthless pieces of dung before Arthur's eye.

 _It is not the time to be remembering._ Arthur thought quietly to himself, as he unmounted his stallion. Daena and Valeana were both awake by now, the septa was having a hard time maintain them inside the wheelhouse. Arthur could only amuse himself by the scene that his daughters were making.

 _Restless like me when I was of their age,_ he thought laughing quietly.

Lannister servants come in offering towels and lighting fire pits to every lord. At the end of the hall Arthur could see at least one Lannister receiving the guest.

 _Stafford?_ Arthur remembered. _He was a boy the last time I saw him, at least his father passed on his good blood._ Arthur reflected, as he remember how he had squired for Ser Jason Lannister during the Ninepenny War before he was killed during the battle for Bloodstone. Yet as Arthur looked closer he notice that Stafford was not alone.

Ser Kevan Lannister was just behind him, shacking hands with Lord Summer Crakehall, a simple smile in his face. Arthur eyes burned with anger yet he kept his composure and cool when his Valeana come by his side.

"Father I am feeling cold?" The little girl said.

Arthur looked at heart and soften his hard, he took her hand and walked with her towards Ser Stafford and Ser Kevin. Daena come close following them along the septa, several of his household knights, and follow far behind by the squires and household guards who carry the group's luggage.

As he approach, Arthur could see Stafford's eyes looking scare as Ser Kevin's own harden. He approach them dressed in his fine red armor, which was decorated with silver lines and gold leaves, while carrying his red lion helm at his left hand. As he reach them, Arthur put aside his helm at the hands of his fellow knight and gave a firm shake with both hands to Stafford.

"It is good to see you Stafford, you almost look a man already." Arthur said with true smile.

"It is good to see you too Arthur, I mean Lord Arthur." Stafford answered smiling back, yet with noticeable nervous all around him.

Arthur smiled back and shacked Kevin's hand.

"It is equally good to see you Ser Kevin Lannister!" Arthur said then with a colder smile, and emphasizing the knights name. Kevin held firm, answering with the same coldness and fake smile that Arthur gave him.

"It is also good to see you Lord Arthur. May I welcome you to Casterly Rock!" He said out loud, as few lords started to quietly stared at the scene.

Stafford seem to be truly the only one whose feeling were showing, as the tense atmosphere continue between both men until Arthur let go Kevin's hand. Arthur's two daughter come out from behind him and gave a lady like bow.

"Oh yes, I like to present my daughters, Daena and Valaena 'Reyne'!" Arthur said with firm voice, emphasizing the house name, and a large smile, as both girls blushed before the Lannister cousins.

Stafford was the only one that saluted both girls back with an actual happy smile that Arthur knew come from Ser Jason Lannister own face. The girls giggle and bow thanking back. Ser Kevin simply nodded.

"Well Arthur, come inside there will be rooms ready for you and your household. I guarantee that!" Stafford said as he guided Arthur inside along his daughter, his knights and the rest of host along their luggage. Ser Kevin stayed behind and for most part it was for the better, as he continue to receive other guests who kept arriving.

The corridor of Casterly Rock were immense and richly decorated like something that Arthur had never looked before, and if he had he could not remembered. Gold and lions seem to be the focus, as it was shown everywhere. Be it on the lion silk banners or fine armor and even upon the golden candle holders in form of lions. _The Lannister must have a time of their life keep that all guarded._ Arthur reflected amused and amazed at the sometime.

It took several minutes before Arthur, his daughters and fellow knights reached the first of many main halls that were carved in the Rock. A group of servants and stewards were waiting for them and once they met Arthur instructed his household to follow them. Arthur stayed behind and took a walk with Stafford, as both them started to walk up the main giant stairs to the next hall.

"You know Arthur, you almost got me there." Stafford began to said as he walked beside Arthur. "I thought you were going to fight Kevin?"

"Fight him why by the Sevens would do that?" Arthur asked innocently, yet knowing very well that he wanted was to rip the Kevin's throat off when both shook hands. "Why would I do that, it sound stupid and dumb!"

"By the way Stafford have you been knighted already?" Arthur asked a more sarcastic voice, trying to change the subject. "Or are you still a page?" Stafford frown then smiled answering:

"Of course not! I no longer a little page you knew Arthur. I am man now, six and ten already and knight a moon's turn ago." He said proudly.

 _Amusing, was the knight that stupid or was he that greedy._ Arthur thought smiling with Stafford.

"Then we should train together sometimes Stafford. Like your father made me do every morning. Clashing swords everyday makes one a better warrior!" Arthur said suggesting.

"Of course!" Stafford answered nervously, trying to sound confident. "Ser Gawen Westerling thought me well!"

 _Greedy in the end._ Arthur reflected. _Or debt._

"So tell me, I also heard that you been bethroal? Who is the lucky lady?" Arthur asked, as he hit the back of Stafford.

"Lady Myranda Lefford" He said nervously yet happy. "She is beautiful you know!"

 _Like all the woman of our life._ Arthur reflected, happy though as he took a few seconds to remember the pretty blond girl. _Stafford will sure make her happy, especially at bed._ He thought with a dirty smirk.

"Hey!" Stafford said as he looked at Arthur's face. Arthur gave a laugh, he felt relief at that. It was like old times for him.

"Very well I be going then." Arthur said "I need to change myself"

Stafford than notice that Arthur was still wet from his journey.

"By the Seven! Forgive me Arthur I did not notice…." Stafford said, quickly calling for the servants.

"Calm down Stafford." Arthur said calmly. "But I think is time for me also to rest, it has been a long journey."

"Of course, have a good resting Arthur. I will see you tomorrow morning then." Stafford said, just a servant arrived to guide Arthur to his chamber.

"Good night then Ser Stafford!" Arthur said as he left.

 _Maybe is not that bad._ Arthur thought as he follow the servant thought the corridor. _Maybe Maester Gunther was right._

That was until he met Tygget Lannister, who was armed, with half a dozen Lannister knights behind him.

"Good evening Lord Arthur" Tygget said with smile that not hid the bitterness in his voice. "May I have a minute of yours."


End file.
